Protecting Your Peace: A Divine Instruction in a Distracting World

At the beginning of this year, the Father spoke something simple yet powerful to my

spirit:"Daughter, protect your peace." It was gentle, yet it carried weight. And He kept repeating it—so much so that I couldn’t ignore it. At first, I thought I understood. I believed I could manage life and still maintain a sense of inner calm. But life had its own plans.

When Life Interrupts Peace

Sickness struck my body. Fatigue became constant. I found myself in the hospital. I was overwhelmed—not just physically but emotionally and spiritually. People continued to call, needing things, pulling on me, without discerning my need for silence, for healing, for stillness. Aggravation and stress crept in. I couldn’t breathe deeply—literally and spiritually. I had to visit my physician, who looked me in the eye and said words I now believe God had prepared me to hear: "No is a complete sentence." In that moment, I realized something sobering: I was not living in the peace God had instructed me to protect. I had neglected His word because I was busy with life, ministry, people, and expectations. I was wide open—unguarded, uncovered, and unprotected.

The Trap of Busyness

Like Martha in Luke 10, I was “worried and troubled about many things,” while the one necessary thing—being still in God’s presence—was being neglected.

“But Martha was distracted with much serving... And Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.’”— Luke 10:40-42 (NKJV)

Serving had become a routine, not an act of honor. I wasn’t operating from faith or intentionality anymore. I was simply functioning—draining myself dry while trying to pour into others.

The Heart Work

After time in prayer, counseling, and stepping away from people and responsibilities, God began to deal with me—not my schedule, not my responsibilities, but my heart.

Things I had buried began to surface. Emotions. Patterns. Expectations I had unknowingly placed on myself and others. Then, through a wise woman of faith, God began showing me how to set boundaries. Healthy ones. Clear ones. She said something that shifted everything:“Ask people what they expect from you. Then tell them what you can give.”

This way, you stop overextending yourself based on unspoken assumptions. And just as importantly, ask yourself: What do you expect from them? What are they capable of giving? And even deeper—Who do they see you as?

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”— Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

When you don't guard your heart, you leak. And when you leak, the peace of God—the very thing meant to protect your mind and emotions—slips through the cracks.

In This Season: Peace Is the Priority

In this new season, I’m no longer asking “Who wants to be in my life?” but rather,“Father, who should be in my life?” Because He alone knows the intent of every heart.

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height… The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”— 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

“I, the Lord, search the heart and examine the mind…”— Jeremiah 17:10 (NIV)

Peace Is Not Passive—It’s Protective

Peace is not the absence of problems. It is the presence of God's order, boundaries, and rest in your life. It is a weapon. A shield. A standard. When Jesus calmed the storm, He simply said, “Peace, be still.” That wasn’t just for the wind and the waves. That was a word for our souls.

Let Us Pray!

Heavenly Father, Thank You for being the God of peace, who speaks stillness over the chaos in our lives. Forgive me for the times I ignored Your voice and ran ahead of Your will. Teach me to discern when to say yes, and when to stand firm in no. Help me set boundaries that honor You and protect the peace You have gifted me. Show me the people who are called to walk with me, and give me the courage to release those who are not. Let every decision I make flow from a place of stillness in You—not fear, not obligation, not pride. Help me live as Mary did—at Your feet, in devotion, protected by Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.